


Welcome to Trench

by orphan_account



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Brainwashing is vaguely implied but not really, Demaverse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It of Sorts, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Implied/Referenced Torture, Is that a thing?? Well it sure is now, Love me some good ole Tyler Angst!!, M/M, Songfic, Trench Era, nico is Not A Great Pal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 21:37:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16668754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A series of small, lyrical/story based one shots about what I interpret certain songs in Trench to be about.1. Jumpsuit2. Cut My Lip





	1. Jumpsuit

**Author's Note:**

> I know that the lyrics are a little bit out of place/don't match pace with the Jumpsuit video exactly, but this was just a short exercise about how I wanted to interpret the songs, so I hope you can enjoy!
> 
> Lots of Tyler angst and some nice tyler/Josh moments >:D

Josh's body stands tense at the edge of the cliff, hands shaking, as he watches Nico approach Tyler. Tyler stands tall, and he's too far away to see clearly, but Josh thinks that he can see his body trembling. He keeps his neck tilted up, defiant, even as he sacrifices himself.

“Josh,” Jenna's voice is soft, slightly wavering, from beside him. “We need to go. We need to get out with the chance he gave us.”

All Josh can see is the streaks of ash and dye against his neck. Tyler stands still as the bishop climbs the horse, and numbly follows. He keeps stumbling over rocks, nearly slipping in the water. Josh can make out the dazed look in his eyes.

“Josh,” Jenna gently reminds him. Josh swallows.

Takes a breath.

“Get everyone except the front lines out.”

Jenna, to her credit, only takes a brief pause, before nodding and jogging back. Josh slowly leans down, dragging a hand through the loose petals on the ground. He picks up a handful, as he hears the new recruits run backwards, following Jenna.

Josh waits. He can see the small group of flowers a few feet in front of Tyler. _Come on, Tyler. C'mon, Ty, wake up. Just a little._

Josh holds his breath. Tyler stumbles to a stop, his head tilted down. He stares at the flowers, and by the time that Nico turns around to see why his prisoner has stopped, Ty has blearily looked up. He glances around, and Josh can practically feel the panic he can see on his face. _He thinks that we didn't leave; that we let him get taken and are still risking capture_.

Tyler makes eye contact with Josh, and his gaze suddenly turns a little clearer.

The action itself is sharp, the way that Josh throws his arm out, but the falling of petals is anything but.

Yellow, yellow, yellow.

Rebel red.

There is no yellow in Dema.

All the lines of banditos stand on the edges of the cliff; they listen to Josh's silent order. Petals fall, surrounding Ty.

_**If you need anyone-** _

The bishop's horse thrashes, and Josh silently signals the rest of his troops to retreat. They listen, and run to follow Jenna and her group.

Ty looks back up at Josh. In his eyes is a promise, and he makes sure that Tyler can see it. _I will come back for you. I_ promise.

**_I can't believe how much I hate-_ **

Tyler takes a half-wavering step backwards.

**_Pressures of a new place roll my way-_ **

Josh swallows around the lump in his throat.

**_Jumpsuit-_ **

He knows what Ty is doing. He's giving Josh another chance.

 ** _Jumpsuit_** -

More time. Extra time to get everyone safe. He knows that it won't work; that there's no way he can outrun Nico, especially not with the power Nico still has over him in this moment.

**_Cover me._ **

Tyler _runs_.

**_J̶u̶m̶p̶s̶u̶i̶t̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶m̶p̶s̶u̶i̶t̶,̶ ̶c̶o̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶e̶._ **

Josh watches with a churning in his stomach and a pit in his chest as Nico drags an unconscious Tyler back towards Dema. Another yellow flower on his chest. Another time that Tyler had left Dema, but had been taken back.

Another flower to add to a drawer.


	2. Cut My Lip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes, these are out of order, at least for the time being, which I apologize for!

**_Though I am bruised-_ **

 

Josh looks on with wide, horror-filled eyes.

 

**_Face of contusions-_ **

 

Tyler's face is beat to hell; there are bruises along his jaw and cheeks. Scratches and cuts along his nose and lip. 

 

**_Know I'll keep moving._ **

 

He holds his body close; injured ribs, at the least. Josh doubts any part of his body is not covered in bruises or lashes of some kind.

 

**_Know I'll keep moving._ **

 

“Ty,” he breathes out, voice slightly shaky and barely audible. Tyler simply shakes his head. He extends a hand, and Josh easily follows through with their handshake. They walk back outside, a dozen or so banditos guarding them.

 

Jenna and Mark add the tape to his shoulders and arm. Josh ties the smaller pieces around his fingers, stuttering at the now slightly crooked appendages.

 

Josh doesn't say anything; not around the rest of them. It can wait until the two of them are in private, where Tyler doesn't feel forced to put up an act around people he seems to be scared of.

 

**_Though I am bruised, face of contusions-_ **

 

As Josh pulls the bandana back up around his mouth, he notices the way that Tyler silently taps a beat into his thigh. His finger moves to some unheard music, and Josh is abruptly reminded of one of the last conversations that they had had before Ty had been taken again. His chest aches.

 

_ “How do you always remember? Everyone always forgets. They know and think what the bishops want them to know and think, but no matter how many times you've been put in those godawful towers, you always remember. You always try again. How do you remember?” _

 

_ Tyler takes a deep breath, chest hitching just a little. He closes his eyes, slides to the floor. He lays back on the ground, and after a long, long moment, he opens them again. Softly, he speaks. _

 

_ “I play the music.” _

 

Tap, tap, tap.

 

**_Know I'll keep moving-_ **

 

Tyler keeps his eyes focused ahead, head slightly bowed. The bags under his eyes are worse than Josh has ever seen them.

 

_ “I hear the music in everything. The people walking down the streets. The fabric moving in the wind. The vultures’ wings. I hear the music, and I play it back.” _

 

_ “It just… comes back? Just like that?” _

 

_ “No. Not quite. It's… hard to explain. I hear something that sounds like a whistle, and I remember the winds in the valleys. I hear metal and think of the drums. The drums lead me to the music, I think. And the music leads me everywhere.” _

 

_ “...do you hear the drums often?”  _

 

_ Tyler closes his eyes again. “Drums are always the first thing to come back. Always.” _

 

_ And Josh doesn't say anything, but he squeezes Ty's hand a little tighter. They both know that the significance behind their wording. _

 

_ The drums were never as quick to come back as the one who played them. _

 

Tap, tap, tap.

 

**_Know I'll keep moving._ **

 

Josh takes Tyler's hand in his own, ignoring the fact that the rest of the guards must be wondering what he's doing. Tyler startles a little, but he relaxes before they walk another three feet. He squeezes Josh's hand gently.

 

He doesn't need the music to remember, anymore. 

 

**_I don't mind at all-_ **

 

Josh is right here with him.

 

**_Lean on my pride-_ **

 

And he’ll be  _ damned  _ before Tyler goes back into Dema without him.

 

**_Lean on my pride; I'm a lion._ **


End file.
